Saturday, March 24: 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM

On Saturday March 24th, IMAN and the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, College of Applied Health Sciences are teaming up to hold a city-wide forum entitled, “Food For Life, A Human Right: Food Justice, Corner Stores & Race Relations in the ‘Hood.” The forum will engage issues related to IMAN’s Muslim Run campaign and explore alternative business models, policy advocacy and community education as a way to create healthier communities, businesses and race relations in low income neighborhoods. The forum will bring together scholars and activists, along with residents of communities most affected by food justice issues.

Muslim Run: Campaign for Health, Wellness and Healing
Launched in 2007, the Muslim Run campaign addresses a long history of injurious and unfair business practices, escalating racial tensions, and unhealthy food options at Muslim-owned “food and liquor” stores in inner-city Black neighborhoods. We envision that these same stores when run on the basis of an alternative business model – selling healthier and fresher products at fairer prices and treating customers with dignity and respect – can become (1) part of a solution to the Food Desert crisis that is ravaging urban communities, and (2) sites of racial healing, even solidarity.

In pursuing this vision, Muslim Run is working with business owners, residents and legislators to make alternative business models viable. Consequently, the campaign committee is working on three separate but interconnected tracks: Policy and Advocacy for State legislators, Education and Relationship-building for residents, and Building Healthy Business Models for business owners.

Watch this space for updated information about this event.

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